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HB1514 • 2026

Local Government, General

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 5, Chapter 1 and Title 6, Chapter 54, relative to shopping carts.

Labor Taxes
Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
McCalmon, Jackson
Last action
2026-04-08
Official status
Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/14/2026
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not support claims regarding statewide regulation of shopping carts and restrictions on business policies.

Shopping Cart Regulation Act

This act stops counties and cities from charging fees, fines, or costs for shopping carts left on public property unless the cart was taken away by its owner or an employee.

What This Bill Does

  • Stops local governments from charging fees, fines, or costs to owners of shopping carts found on public land if the cart wasn't removed by the owner or their worker.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Owners of shopping carts who leave their carts on public property.
  • Local government agencies and officials in Tennessee.

Terms To Know

local ordinance
A rule made by a city or county to manage local issues.

Limits and Unknowns

  • It's not clear how much money counties and cities will lose from this new rule.
  • This act only applies to shopping carts found on public property after July 1, 2026.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

Amendment 1-0 to HB1514

Plain English: This amendment stops counties and cities in Tennessee from making their own rules about shopping carts.

  • Adds new sections to state laws that say only the general assembly can make rules about shopping carts.
  • Prohibits local governments (counties and cities) from creating ordinances or regulations related to shopping cart policies, fees, or fines.
Amendment 1-0 to SB1728

Plain English: This amendment stops local governments from making rules about shopping carts that businesses must follow or pay fines for.

  • Local governments cannot create laws or regulations that force businesses to have specific policies on shopping carts or charge them fees related to shopping carts.
  • The state government will be the only one allowed to make rules about shopping carts, including their use and management.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk.

  2. 2026-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  3. 2026-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  4. 2026-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 23, Nays 4

  5. 2026-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0890)

  6. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/14/2026

  7. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee

  8. 2026-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/9/2026

  9. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  10. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/31/2026

  11. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 3/31/2026

  12. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 9, Nays 0 PNV 0

  13. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 3/25/2026

  14. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 3/25/2026

  15. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate State and Local Government Committee to 3/25/2026

  16. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/24/2026

  17. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 3/24/2026

  18. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 3/24/2026

  19. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate State and Local Government Committee to 3/24/2026

  20. 2026-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/18/2026

  21. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 3/18/2026

  22. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 3/17/2026

  23. 2026-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate State and Local Government Committee to 3/17/2026

  24. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/11/2026

  25. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 3/11/2026

  26. 2026-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 3/10/2026

  27. 2026-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate State and Local Government Committee to 3/10/2026

  28. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/4/2026

  29. 2026-02-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 3/3/2026

  30. 2026-02-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 3/4/2026

  31. 2026-02-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  32. 2026-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 2/18/2026

  33. 2026-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to State & Local Government Committee

  34. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Cities & Counties Subcommittee for 2/11/2026

  35. 2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate State and Local Government Committee

  36. 2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  37. 2026-01-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  38. 2026-01-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Cities & Counties Subcommittee

  39. 2026-01-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to State & Local Government Committee

  40. 2026-01-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  41. 2026-01-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

This bill prohibits a fee, fine, or cost from being assessed by a county or municipality against the owner of a shopping cart found on public property unless the shopping cart was removed from the premises or parking area of a retail establishment by the
owner of the shopping cart or by an employee acting on the owner's behalf. This bill applies to acts or omissions occurring on or after July 1, 2026.

ON APRIL 9, 2026, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 1728, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 rewrites the bill to, instead, provide that t
he general assembly occupies the entire field of the regulation of shopping carts, including their purchase, use, taxation, manufacture, ownership, sale, storage, and transportation, to the exclusion of all county or metropolitan government laws, ordinanc
es, resolutions, enactments, or regulations.

This amendment also prohibits a
county or metropolitan government, or any agency, department, or official of a county or metropolitan government,
from
adopt
ing
an ordinance, resolution, or other regulation requiring a business to adopt a shopping cart policy of any nature or imposing a fee or fine on a business related to shopping carts
.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SENATE BILL 1728
By Jackson

HOUSE BILL 1514
By McCalmon
HB1514
010529
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 5,
Chapter 1 and Title 6, Chapter 54, relative to
shopping carts.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 5, Chapter 1, Part 1, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
Notwithstanding another law, local ordinance, or resolution to the contrary, a fee,
fine, or cost must not be assessed against the owner of a shopping cart found on public
property unless the shopping cart was removed from the premises or parking area of a
retail establishment by the owner of the shopping cart or by an employee acting on the
owner's behalf.
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 6, Chapter 54, Part 1, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
Notwithstanding another law, local ordinance, or resolution to the contrary, a fee,
fine, or cost must not be assessed against the owner of a shopping cart found on public
property unless the shopping cart was removed from the premises or parking area of a
retail establishment by the owner of the shopping cart or by an employee acting on the
owner's behalf.
SECTION 3. This act takes effect July 1, 2026, the public welfare requiring it, and
applies to acts or omissions on or after July 1, 2026.